1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to containers for articles and more particularly to basket style containers usually for carrying bottles.
2. Description of the Related Art
Basket style containers are known and normally have a central wall which leads into an upstanding handle portion. On each side of the central wall is an open topped compartment section for receiving a number of bottles. Further divider walls may also be provided inside each compartment section so as to define individual pockets for each bottle. When fully erected, the container has a base, a pair of end wall means generally perpendicular to the central wall and a pair of side walls generally parallel to the central wall and hingedly connected to the end walls.
It is common for the containers to be supplied to an end user, such as a beverage manufacturer, in a flat condition either fully glued or glued except for closing two base panels. The end user then runs the containers on a packing machine which opens the containers and inserts the bottles, having closed the base panels where necessary.
In the past, two basic types of container have been produced and each requires a different assembly technique prior to supply to the end user. The different assembly techniques are the result of the basic geometries of the container blanks for producing the two basic types of container. Different machines are, therefore, required to assembly the different blanks.
The first type of container is known as a four-crease basket, the four creases being the substantially vertical creases connecting the side walls and the end wall means at the four comers of the basket. This type of basket is formed from a generally L-shaped blank which results in significant wastage of paperboard and the necessity to glue or interlock the base panels during the packing stage.
The second type of container is known as a six-crease basket, the extra two creases being provided in the end wall means where they meet the central wall. The extra creases are generally parallel to the other four creases. This type of basket is formed from a generally rectangular shaped blank which reduces paperboard wastage and often has a formed base on opening from a flat condition.